CoAi oneshots!

Dancing in our light (6)

...

Shinichi was startled at hearing that.

A masquerade ball?!

He didn't like the idea. He tried to convince Oliver to choose someone else for that;

"Yes...But Oliver wouldn't it be better if you chose the police officers Sato and Takagi? They're more responsible and-"

He was suddenly interrupted by Oliver;

"But you're reputed for solving so many cases. I know you'll save my sister too and you're as young as me. I can easily present you as a friend. It wouldn't bother your girlfriend, right?"

He pointed at Shiho.

As much as it could bother him to go on a 'ball' with Shiho and her being misunderstood as his girlfriend, his detective instincts wanted to solve the case. It was just his partner. Come on. She must be handling it seriously, unlike him...

...

Shiho was more startled at hearing the word masquerade ball and then accompanied by a nonchalant use of the word girlfriend. She sighed. If only. She wasn't and it annoyed her. Yes, she wanted to help him solve the case but she didn't want to masquerade as someone who she wasn't. It would hurt her even more.

She was going to give the detective a piece of her mind since she knew he'd accept unbothered, so she whispered in Japanese;

"Why don't you ask Mori-san to accompany you to that masquerade ball instead?"

It didn't feel like her usual wits. It was a genuine question. She pierced him with a cold stare. Oliver Eisher could only assume they were having a 'couple-argument'. He was too scared of the half-Japanese woman's stare to even interrupt.

Shiho got up.

And Shinichi grabbed her wrist;

"Where do you think you're going?"

A visible frown on his face. How did they go from a good temper to this dispute? Why anyway?!

She turned, her short auburn hair dancing as she moved:

"I told you. Mori-san will be the one accompanying you. I don't need to listen to more details of the ball since I won't be there."

At that being said, he made her sit down and looked at her. It was his turn to stare at her, determined.

"You're MY partner and you're coming because I trust you for that role."

She just looked at the floor as a slight rosy tint appeared on her cheeks. He didn't have to put the accent on the word my. He drove her crazy.

After an awkward silence that Shiho interrupted;

"If you insist, Tantei-san. But it's not like if I wanted to."

Shinichi let her wrist go and turned back to Eisher. He didn't like how she said she didn't like the idea of assisting him. What a woman. One moment she'll tease him, then they'll have a good conversation, and then she gets angry for some reason he can't seem to solve yet.

...

Once Oliver confirmed they had stopped arguing he started in his British English;

"So uhm you will both need proper clothes and masks. And it might be hard to do but please try to act like a couple. It'll make any suspicion fade."

The supposed couple sighed simultaneously. It kind of made Oliver chuckle despite the whole situation. He continued;

"I can help you buy some clothes. It's on me since I'm the one who requested your help, detective."

The modern Sherlock looked at his watch: They still had some time left.

"Don't worry it lasts one whole day but the pains might wake you up at night." Ai said with a devilish grin on.

Shinichi tried to brush off that witty remark and asked Oliver:

"So, Oliver when will we go buy the clothes and masks...?"

Oliver put on his ebony hat as he spoke;

"We'll do that tomorrow since I don't have time today."

Shinichi was anxious as he heard that. Could he take the antidote twice in a short period of time...?

Shiho whispered in his ear. She was close. Her auburn hair brushed to his face. It didn't bother him.

"Don't worry, Kudo-kun I have made a vaccine that can make the duration of the antidote longer until Saturday." Miyano said in a reassuring voice.

Did she say Saturday and not Friday? He smiled on the inside, he could visit Ran for at least one whole day! He mentally thanked Haibara.

The half-Japanese woman wished the effects ended on Friday instead. She should be happy about this advancement but...Shiho knew he would go visit his real girlfriend, not the acting one.

She bit her lip at the recurrent thought of a happy Ran and a smiling Shinichi.

...

The British man got up and was again in the ebony clothing like when they had met him before. As he left, maybe for some actor duty, the scent of merlot wine was still present in the room as Oliver left saying goodbyes. The partners got up too, Shinichi put his cap on again and Shiho adjusted her wig again.

Shiho closed the door behind them. Shinichi was lost in thought to act like a gentleman as he had done this morning. Shiho kind of missed that. They warned the staff members they had finished meeting up and thanked them.

Kudo made a sign to the police officers who were dispersed in the coffee shop that nothing happened. Sato continued teasing Takagi anyway. It reminded the detective of him and Haibara except they weren't dating...yet. Did he say 'yet'? It was slip of tongue that cost him a flushed face.

Miyano just crossed her arms. She supposed he must've been thinking of how things could escalate between him and Miss Mori Ran.

"Tsk." she said fidgeting with the hairs of the wig she was wearing.

They got out of the coffee shop and walked again in the direction of the Agasa residence.

They walked but they were silent. Shiho held her red purse tightly and Shinichi tightly held his bag full of their kids' clothes. He was scared the antidote would stop working suddenly. But it didn't happen. It was a reassurance.

He would have wanted to talk with Shiho a bit more but she didn't seem in the mood to see his face anyway. What did he do wrong? It felt like he always did something wrong to her. What a woman she was.

...

As they entered the Agasa residence, Shinichi put his bag, cap, and jacket on the couch. He was tired, mentally, that is. He was drained. He wondered how Shiho could manage to work nonstop for the antidote. Kudo sat down thinking about how to plan the presence of the police at the ball. He spent a few hours doing research.

After a while, Shiho appeared in a white coat and a small ponytail.

"Would you please come, Kudo-kun? It's for the vaccine I told you about just before." She said, wearing latex gloves as well.

Unconsciously, he murmured;

"Damn."